Protected last



' 1,601,814 A. c. FARRAR PROTECTED LAST Oct. 5 1926.

Filed March 27 193 Patented Get, 5, 1926.

warren stares ALLEN CLAl FARR-AB, OF WHITMAN, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROTECTED LAST.

Application filed March 2'7, 1924. Serial No. 702,293.

My present invention is a novel and improved method of protecting the heel portions of lasts, used in boot and shoe manufacture, and includes also novel form of protecting member for the last cone.

Boot and shoe lasts as employed in modern shoe factory methods, are subjected to very great pressures, strains and compression, particularly during the heeling, level ling, sole laying and such like operations. The last is made of wood and the compres sive strains incident to heel nailing, levelling, etc., exerted thereon, quickly breaks down the wood of the last, particularly when the last is not seated squarely upon the last jack and between the jack and the moving part of the machine in which the last may be for the particular operation,,sole laying, leveling, heel nailing and the like. A further frequent cause of the breaking of the lasts, is the fact of the uneven thicknesses of sole, insole, upper materials, as well as heels, thus imparting a greater tension on one side of the last than on the other, resulting in the breaking of the wood of the last on that side upon which the greater strain first comes. As leather and upper materials are constantly varying in thicknesses, and as the reel nailing machines for example are usually set for a predetermined thickness, the difiiculty above pointed out, is constantly present, and constantly varying.

In my present invent-ion, I have provided means which both protect the cone of the last and also provides for an automatically self-seating, or adjustment of the last and its assembled shoe thereon, between the last jack on which the last rests, and the plunger or other moving portion of the machine exerting the compression. My method is, briefly, to so protect the heel part adjacent the last jack, that the last may have a sufficient rocking or adjustable movement when the plunger or moving part of the machine in which the last is applied for the heel nailing, laying, etc, operations, that itwill automatically compensate for any unevennesses in thickness, or strains, tensions or the like, and insure the presentation of the entire heel portion of the last fairly and squarely under the plunger and thus transmit the compressive strains incident to such operations, squarely upon the last jack without undue or breaking strains on either side, front or rear. Thus my method consists in applying a movable or rocking last protector on the cone of the last, and thereby permitting the last itself to be rocked upon the jack, effecting a self-adjustment or self-seating as the strain of the machine increases or is applied to the heel, sole or last bottom. I believe that this isa distinct novelty in the method of last protection, and also a novel form in the protecting device on the last itself, and I wish to claim both these features herein broadly.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a view of a typical hinge last in position to be applied to a jack or last support;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a small diagrammatic view illustrating the last on a jack or last support.

lit will be appreciated that my invention is applicable to any type of last, whether block last, hinge last, slide last, link last or the like, the important feature consisting in the heel protection and the carrying out of my present method. As herein shown a typical hings last is illustrated with the forepart 1 and heel part 2, the latter fitted with the usual tube or thimble 3. A clenching plate 4 on the last bottom is also shown and on the cone or top of the last is provided my novel form of protecting plate 5. This plate may be of metal, hard fiber or other suitable compound, or may comprise a plurality of layers, with a metal or fiber exterior and an intermediate cushioning layer,,

as indicated in dotted lines at 6, Fig. 1. In either case, the main protecting member 5 of metal or hard fiber, is formed of rocker shape, i. e., with a curved surface 10. This curved surface preferably curves both laterally and longitudinally from the juncture of the thimble 3 with the protector 5, the protector 5 being bored for this purpose to re ceive the thimble and preferably also being recessed slightly as shown at 12 to receive the flange 1% of the thimble 3 and thus the thimble and flange may be flush with the surface 10. This is not essential as the small extent of the flange 14: will not prevent the entire shoe rocking upon the last support 15 and last ack 16, which latter fits within the thimble 3. Thus when the plunger 20 or moving part of the machine in which the last and shoe are applied, strikes the bottom surface or heel plate 4- 0f the last, the last itself may automatically be straightened by rocking on the surface 10 to insure an even distribution of strains and compression throughout the entire extent of the wooden portion 2 between the plate 5 and plunger 20. Thus the last parts and particularly the side portions of the cone of the last at 21, which are comparatively narrow and the thinnest part of the wood, will not be broken .down by undue compressive strains.

I believe that my method of last protection will insure long life and usefulness in Wooden lasts and take the place of many expensive efforts to protect last-s heretofore attempted.

My invention is further described and defined in the form of claims as follows 1. A last, having a protecting plate upon the heel portion thereof adjacent the thimble opening, the thimble extending through and securing said plate to the last, said plate having a convex form to permit the rocking of the last on the support during heel nailing, sole laying, and the like operations.

2. A last, having a protecting plate upon the heel port-ion adjacent the thimble open ing, an opening in the plate alined with the thinible opening, a circumferential recess around the outer edge of said plate opening, the thimble extending through said plate and being flanged in said recess to secure said plate to the last, said plate having a convex form to permit the rocking of the last on the support during heel nailing, sole laying, and the like operations.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALLEN CLAPP FARRAB. 

